Running/new year

Meg and I started running again this week. In the spirit of my friends Kate and Scott tracking the abandoned cash they find throughout the year, I'm considering keeping track of miles ran throughout the year. This past week we covered 5.8 miles. It felt really good to get moving again! I was sore after our first run, but just genuinely had fun on the second and didn't feel sore at all.

I've had a lingering desire to comment in some way on 2008. I found an easy way to do that--rip a survey off of MT's blog. I apologize for not being original.
Tribute to 2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before? Gave birth
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I'm not sure I made resolutions last year. I'm going to attempt to say fewer inappropriate things in public this year without compromising my love of honesty.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I gave birth!! So did my sister-in-law and my friend Ali.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully there wasn't anyone close to me who passed.
5. What countries did you visit? None
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? I'd like to find a little more balance in 2009. Oh, and a prelim.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 22 (the day my son was born), September 15 (my niece was born), October 18 (first post-partum half-marathon), and October 19 (Elliot's baptism).
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I have a few things that I'm proud of. I am proud of myself for running a half-marathon less than 5 months after giving birth. I'm also proud of continuing to breastfeed after going back to work full-time. I also got my first peer-reviewed publication. I also managed a work-related problem with more grace than I expected.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not taking adequate care of myself.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I was sick for a while after Elliot was born, but nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought? plane tickets to Vegas. And some sweet baby clothes.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My husband's, for being an amazing husband and father and helping me regain a somewhat normal life after giving birth.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Appalled, that's easy--W, Paris Hilton, Blagojovich, and other less public figures. Depressed, nothing comes to mind.
14. Where did most of your money go? Carle Foundation Hospital and Carle Clinic, daycare. And one really great vacation.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? In chronological order: Vegas, Elliot, the Indy half, Elliot's baptism.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Um...whatever songs Elliot's swing plays. And maybe Violet Hill.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
a) It varies.
b) Fatter by a few baby fat pounds.
c) That's none of your business ;)
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Taken time off
19. Apparently got deleted
20. How will you be spending Christmas? We spent it here with family
21. Did you fall in love in 2008? more and more with my husband and son
22. How many one-night stands? right
23. What was your favorite TV program? We watched a lot of SVU and House
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I had a falling out with pancake syrup, but that's about it.
25. What was the best book you read? Anna Karenina, hands down.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? The songs I most enjoyed discovering were Dave Matthew's "Eh hee" and Coldplay's "Violet Hill" (and that entire album).
27. What did you want and get? a healthy, happy baby. Oh, and gas logs for the fireplace.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? Probably Juno.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 27. I went to a steakhouse with my family and met my friend Jenn there.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Triplets! Just kidding. I don't know, really.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Does maternity count as a "fashion concept"? That was about half of the year, followed by a few months of "whatever I could find that fit and didn't look horrendous," followed by sweaters and jeans.
32. What kept you sane? Brendan and running.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I'm pretty excited about Obama.
34. What political issue stirred you the most? The election was a big one.
35. Who did you miss? I've lived in 5 states in 7 years, so a lot of people.
36. Who was the best new person you met? My son :)
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Sometimes, you just can't do it all, and that has to be ok.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I'm leaving this one open to nominations from you my loyal readers.